Archive for the ‘Events and Event Planning’Category

Day of the Dead Inspired Dinner Party | Orlando, Florida

On October 31st, an intimate group of friends joined their Halloween-loving hosts for their annual Halloween celebration. The hosts selected Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) as the theme, and worked with A Flair for Affairs®, Flourish Floral Productions and Puff’n Stuff Catering to create a festive Mexican dinner party under the stars. (Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday which is also celebrated throughout Latin America and in parts of the United States. This colorful holiday is steeped in cultural traditions, and centers on celebrating deceased loves ones by honoring them with food, drink and parties.)

The hosts (our lovely clients) are never shy to admit that Halloween is their favorite holiday of the year. They have amassed an enviable décor collection, comprised of everything from ravens and skeletons, to exotic artisan-crafted items. Upon setting the date for the dinner party, they contacted Elisa Delgardio to help develop a stylish event design, and coordinate the elements of the celebration.

Invitations were sent, and party guests were asked to dress for the occasion. Given the choice of dressing in costume or proper dinner attire, the majority opted for the former. To the hosts’ delight, the arrival of each and every guest created a buzz of excitement, and created a synergistic experience for all. Fortunately, photographer Errol Colon was on hand to capture the spirit of each guest.

As guests arrived on that gorgeous fall evening, they nibbled on butler passed hors d’oeuvres. Tasty goat cheese quesadillas and mini tacos were complemented by margaritas and sangria served by the Puff’n Stuff team. Guitarist David Naidu played a delightful array of Spanish classical and South American music.

Audible gasps were heard as the guests saw the feasting table and perused the vignettes and decor sprinkled throughout the home. Flourish Floral Productions did an incredible job of incorporating the quirky and colorful Day of the Dead elements into two table-scapes and various ‘oferendas’. Elisa Delgardio (A Flair for Affairs) took on a bit more than the planning and event design – she is also credited with creating the custom linen table runners. (Some décor items shown are part of the hosts’ collection.)

After cocktails and conversation in the main house, guests transitioned to the outdoor patio where dinner would be served al fresco. Top shelf guacamole was prepared table-side and served with tortilla chips, a trio of salsas and queso cheese. After enjoying the salad course, guests were treated to a dual plated entree with a Mexican flair.

But dessert was the showstopper: Flourless Chocolate Chili Cake with an edible Sugar Skull image on white chocolate – it was truly to die for!

And what would a Halloween party be with out treats! The host created charming gift bags that were given to guests as they departed.

It’s time for me to sit down with you and have “the talk”. It sucks that we live in an imperfect world, and it’s no fun for me when I have to talk about this stuff – I feel like “Debbie Downer” – but I owe it to you. An important part of a wedding planner|event planner‘s job is to mitigate risk, and help our clients protect their investment as well as themselves. Planners bring a wide array of experiences to the table, and the ability to spot potential risks and liabilities in particular is an extremely valuable benefit of our services.

You may be relying on contracts to protect your interests and ensure services are rendered, but how closely are you paying attention? What liabilities are you assuming by signing an agreement with a venue or vendor? Read carefully and you will likely see terms and conditions such as these:

“Renter assumes all liability of damages from candles including, damage from waxes, fire, or personal injury.”

“…the host will be responsible for any and all injury to persons or damage to property during your use of the premises…”

“The event host is liable for any damages…” “Damages includes physical damage to any part of The Premises, personal injury to any person attending the Wedding/Reception Event, any unpaid balances to third­‐party vendors, and any other physical, financial, or personal damage sustained as a result of this function.”

“(the venue) is not responsible for items lost, stolen or left by hosts, members of a wedding party, or guests”

Not to mention that it’s becoming more common for venues and public facilities to request (require) you provide them with a certificate of liability insurance. Sounds a little scary – doesn’t it?

Forget the venue… Let’s just celebrate in the backyard

Nope, you are not off the hook if you throw a party or event at home. For instance: If you host a party are you liable for injuries to a guest? Does it make a difference if you provide alcohol for your guests? What if they bring their own alcohol? Are you responsible for your guests after they leave? Wait, there’s more: Special caution needs to be applied when certain activities, such as swim/pool parties or boat outings, in conjunction with drinking actually increase the danger of the activity itself as well as the liability of the provider.

Fortunately for all, there is insurance for weddings and events – because in situations where things don’t go as planned, it can be a real life saver! Here are a few examples of wedding related mishaps:

Unexpected illness, injury or death of people who play an important part in the wedding

Dangerous and severe weather conditions that prevent the reception site from opening or impede guests from attending (hurricanes, blizzards, etc.)

Bridal shop closed down (Priscilla of Boston)

Stolen or lost gifts

Rented table linens accidentally thrown away

If the bride’s gown is lost, stolen or damaged

The bride or groom has to unexpectedly relocate for a job/active military duty

How much does it cost?

According to the Insurance Information Institute (III), wedding insurance can cost between $125 to $400, depending on the amount of coverage you buy (options, costs and limitations vary widely). When comparing policies, read the fine print carefully (…before you sign!). Pay attention to maximum coverage limits, exclusions and deadlines for purchasing various options. Additionally, some policies have deductibles you must pay before insurance kicks in.

Liability insurance for short-term special events provides important protection for a variety of organized events – such as family reunions, weddings, business meetings, and community events. Some events are one day only, while others may take place over a weekend or a few days. Fees vary based on the amount of insurance needed, number of attendees and the nature of the event, and a number of other factors. For example, a family reunion for 100p. will be assessed differently than a multi-day chili cook-off event for 1200p.

Ultimately, the overall cost of insurance often works out to be a small percentage of the total cost of the event (except in the case of free, no-budget, fund-raising type events). Whether you’re investing 15k or 115k, and receive a quote equal to roughly 1.5% to 5% (possibly more, as events vary), you literally can’t afford NOT to have insurance.

Oxford Hills Sun Journal (c) 2010

Last yet not least, it is widely advised to consult your insurance agent before buying additional liability coverage. Your agent can check how much coverage your homeowner’s insurance provides and whether it applies to wedding events; you may need a special rider or want to buy additional coverage through an umbrella policy. For example, if a guest stumbles and falls during your event, that may be covered…. But what if a guest smashes a light fixture at the hotel and the owner holds you responsible – will your home insurance pay for the damage?

The benefits of working with a planner are clear: Planners want to help you protect your investment and create a safe experience for your guests. By directing you to reputable facilities and vendors who carry appropriate insurance, and helping you make informed decisions, you can be confident you’re well prepared to handle unforeseen occurrences and properly covered for circumstances beyond your control.

10

10 2012

Super “Sweet 15″ (Quince) celebration planned and produced by A Flair for Affairs and Encore Creations.

A fashion forward quinceanera designed to captivate the attention and imagination of the young adults as well as the young at heart! “CLAUDIA” represents another signature event created by the awarding winning team: Eddie Diaz, CSEP and Elisa Delgardio, CSEP.

I’m not even sure where to begin, except to say that we are so proud of this Orlando Quince event! It was both a thrill and a joy to plan! Our Clients were wonderful & gracious people; Eddie and I had a ball working with them! From the invitations to the gelato flavors, everything about this event was fierce – and custom tailored to our super chic fashionista, Claudia. ~ Elisa

The inspiration for this Quince event was fashion – so we designed a chic room that featured double runways and two stages. Fuchsia was the key color, so the palette included shades of pink, black and white.

We threw in lots of sparkle, and accented the room decor with gobos and wall washes. The client’s monogram was a play on the Channel logo.

Lady Gaga: The ultimate fashionista! Our high-energy performer was instrumental in setting the mood for the evening and introducing the birthday girl. Later in the evening, the performers danced with the guests and posed for photos.

25

04 2012

“We’re on a tight budget.”

Yes, I know (but I don’t say it out loud). Times are tough, money is tight, and everyone is trying to save a buck. But lately, I’ve been hearing this way too much.
And you wouldn’t believe the trends I’m starting to see! Flower-less centerpieces, DIY linen installations, sub-par vendors, and more! It sounds funny, but in the end, it’s really not.

Maybe you’d like to poll the guests from a recent wedding that I coordinated (notice I said coordinated, NOT planned). The bride contacted me to help her with the reception design and we put together a great look for her. However, she insisted that she wanted the reception to be ‘cocktail style’ – meaning that she wanted the guests to mingle – therefore she only ordered 100 chairs for 200 people…. Hmmmm…. I think you can see where I’m going with this.

“What’s your budget?” I ask. Rarely do I receive a truthful answer, that is, until I quote a price. It’s not a problem because I know my services are not inexpensive. I charge what I’m worth: I’m an educated, experienced, nationally recognized industry professional. I work with clients and couples who realize that what I bring to the event planning process is more than the ability to create a memorable day – I help them create amazing and memorable moments. I am a specialist; it’s like comparing stitches to brain surgery.

Anyway, I do appreciate that many people are on a budget. Whenever possible I do the best I can to meet them where they’d like to be. After all, I love what I do, so for me there’s a lot more to it than the paycheck.

In a previous post, I wrote about how Brides and Grooms can protect themselves while shopping for vendors. Check it out – there is a lot of good advice there. This post centers on something different; it’s about being realistic. There seems to be a trend towards style over substance. Let’s go back to my story about the bride with the 200 guests. Do you think those guests cared how good the room looked when they realized they might have to stand for the rest of the evening? Nope – they bailed at their first opportunity. Do you think they felt valued and appreciated? Nope.

It’s my responsibility to tell my clients if something won’t work, or doesn’t work well. I educate them. What I’m seeing lately is so many people (future brides and grooms, potential clients) who are out of touch with what things cost being serviced by vendors who want to say yes (because they need the business) – this is not exactly a recipe for success.

My free advice for today is this: If you truly can’t afford the wedding of your dreams – put it off and save more money. If you want to save an extreme amount of money without cutting corners, scale back your guest list, move up your wedding date and consider a week-day event. Also, if you’re planning a wedding or special event be a good host! – that’s just good manners.

30

06 2010

Elisa Delgardio, CSEP, MBC

Planner | Designer | Speaker

I've been planning for as long as I can remember! When I was younger, I planned birthday parties for my siblings and surprise anniversary parties for my parents. I spent many years in the Hospitality industry and also studied Interior Design. I couldn’t have guessed that my creative and organizational talents would lead me to a career in event planning...seriously!

"To love what you do and feel that it matters - how could anything be more fun?"
- Katherine Graham

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